Catching up with former area athletes: SDSU's Bo Donald steps in for snaps at right tackle
Dec. 1—BROOKINGS — Kimball native Bo Donald has played in some key moments at right tackle for the South Dakota State University football team late in his sophomore season.
Donald, a 6-foot-6, 295-pound offensive tackle, has been among the reserves for the Jackrabbits' offensive line but has played in six games this season and is listed as the No. 2 right tackle on the SDSU offensive line.
Due to an injury to starting left tackle Aron Johnson and regular right tackle Garret Greenfield filling that spot, Donald started at right tackle in the Jacks' 24-21 win over North Dakota on Nov. 20 and played in the Jacks' playoff victory over UC Davis on Nov. 27. After playing five games in the first two seasons in Brookings, the UND contest marked the first start of Donald's career.
The Jackrabbits (9-3) are in action on Saturday, Dec. 4, visiting No. 4-seeded Sacramento State for an 8 p.m. Central kickoff in the FCS playoffs second round.
Menning helps Dakota State women to No. 18 ranking
MADISON — Former Corsica-Stickney standout Courtney Menning is helping Dakota State to another strong start to its women's basketball season, as the Trojans have opened 8-3 in the new campaign.
DSU is ranked No. 18 in NAIA women's basketball's top-25 coaches' rankings, which were updated Wednesday, Dec. 1. The national ranking comes on the heels of DSU finishing 27-4 last season, an undefeated record in conference play and reaching the national quarterfinals at the NAIA tournament.
Menning, a 5-foot-8 junior guard, has started in all 11 games this season and is averaging 9.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game for DSU. She is shooting 51.2% on field goals early in the season, as DSU has won four straight games. Menning has scored in double-figures six times this season, including a season-best 15 points in a loss at Concordia (Neb.) on Nov. 6. She ranks 50th nationally in total steals with 22 on the season in the first 11 games.
Also among the Dakota State starters is Elsie Aslesen, a 6-foot-1 senior forward transfer from Concordia (Neb.). Aslesen played her high school basketball at Elk Point-Jefferson but now calls Howard her hometown. Aslesen has started all 11 games this season, shooting 43.7% from the field and averaging 8.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Dakota State hosts NCAA Division III Minnesota-Morris at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2 in Madison before opening North Star Athletic Association play on Saturday by hosting Bellevue (Neb.) at home.
Anderson helps USD to fast start in medley relay
VERMILLION —Mitchell native Lucie Anderson has helped the University of South Dakota women's swim team get up and running in the 2021-22 season.
Anderson, a senior who specializes in the backstroke and freestyle, has been a key leadoff element to the Coyotes' medley relay.
In a Nov. 19 race at the Midco Aquatic Center in Sioux Falls as part of the Augustana Invitational, Anderson, Cassie Ketterling, Madilyn Sindelar and Emily Kahn clocked a time of 3:48.10 to win their race. Anderson was part of a second-place finish in the same event on Nov. 6 at the two-day Coyote Extravaganza held in Sioux Falls with Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, St. Cloud State, the University of Sioux Falls and St. Thomas in competition, where she also took home third place in the 200 backstroke.
In a Oct. 16 dual against Iowa State, Anderson, Meghan Atwell, Sara Mayer and Kahn placed third in the 400 medley relay in 4:26.66.
In the Nov. 19 race, Anderson placed sixth in the 100 back final in 57.22, just off her personal best of 57.02. That mark is fourth-best in school history, set in 2020 and one that Anderson will try to lower as the season goes on. She also has USD's fourth-best time on record in the 200-yard backstroke (2:02.85).
USD has completed its fall schedule and will resume competition Jan. 14-15 in St. Paul, Minnesota against St. Thomas.
